An Overview of Circular Economy in Mauritius

Abstract

Solid waste management remains an ever-increasing issue in small island development states like Mauritius, with landfilling being the main disposal option as opposed to more sustainable solutions like recycling and resource recovery. This article provided an overview of circular economy, the initiatives taken towards promotion of recycling and the challenges faced by the recycling industry in Mauritius. While some recycling is carried out on the island, this is still in its infancy stage due to several obstacles faced by the recycling industry such as lack of financial incentives, lack of critical mass of recyclables and poor quality of recyclables. However, based on the several forthcoming projects to boost circular economy in Mauritius, it is expected that the solid waste management system is called for a major overhaul in the future, with major focus on recycling and resource recovery.